Game with action producing components



Jafll 17, 1967 `M. GLASS ETAL 3,298,692

GAME WITH ACTION PRODUCING COMPONENTS Filed Aug. 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v @17,1961 j MLGLASS Em v 3,298,692

` med Aug, 24, 1962 l(rlVlE WITH ACTION PBODUCING COMPONENTS' 's sheets-sheet 2 Jn- 17,;1967 M. l. GLAss ETAL 3,298,692

' i GAME WITH ACTION PRoDUcING COMPONENTS Filed'Aug. 24. 1962 v 5 sheets-sheet :s

3,298,692 GAME WITH' ACTIN PRODUCING COMPQNENTS Marvin I. Glass and Gordon A. Barlow, Chicago, Ill., as-

signors to Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, lll., a partnership v t Filed Aug.. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 219,202

This invention relates generally to a game and is particularly directed to a game of the type wherein a plurality of game -piecesare advanced around a track in accord-4 ance with numbers selected by lot, as by throwing a die.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide such a game in which the playing pieces simulate animals, and specifically mice, and in which one of the contingencies of the game is that a mouse will be caught in a cage or trap. A further object is to` provide a game which will provide from time to time an amusing series of events, or actions, culminating in the catching of a mouse in this manner. Stillanother object is to provide such a series of actions which will particularly appeal to younger players. A further object is to provide `apparatus for producing the aforesaid action, which apparatus is dismantled at the start of the game, and which is assembled by the players a little at a time as permitted by the fortunes of the players, so that the action must wait for the completion of the setting up of the apparatus. Still another object is to provide young players with the educational advantage of the repeated assembling of a mechanical .contrivance A more detailed object is to provide a game board having a generally peripheral track defining a plurality of stations, anda relatively complicated mechanical device which may be mounted on the gameA board and which includesjan elevated cage for catching a mouse, and which device, when once started, will go through' a cycle of actions, the last of which will release the cage to catch a mouse. Other objects and advantages will bev apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, where- FIGURE l is a plan view of the game with the game pieces at the starting point, and the action mechanism set up and in operative condition; *l

FIGURE 2 is a similar View, but with the action pieces unassembled;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of certain trip mechanism indicated in FIGURE 1, being a subassembly of several parts of the action mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective viewof a stairited States Patent() way and `a rain gutter, constituting part of the action mechanism indicated in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 isv an enlarged perspective view of a subassembly of the action apparatus for taking advantage of the dropping of a ball to continue the action; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective of another subassembly and part` of that indica-ted in FIGURE 5, illus-4 trating the last episode in the action, namely catching of a mouse.

In providing a game directed especially to the enjoyment of children, it is believed desirable to accompany such game with sufficient novel and interesting action and visual effects, as well as means stimulating a competitive spirit among the players, to sustain interest and suspense. This is generally achieved by the present invention by providing not only a track on which the gamev pieces of the individual players may race, but also a set of action pieces which may be assembledv and operated in accordance with the rules of the game and the fortune of the players to provide an amusing interlude and ultimate removal of one or more game pieces from the board. Thel 3,298,692 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 ICC progress of the players is indicated by the position of the mice or game pieces on the track, and numerous hazards are provided to whet the interest.

As seen particularly in FIGURE l, the main element used in the game is the board 10, which may be of any suitable material, and which has printed thereon or otherwise formed, a track 12, with a starting point 14, and a series of hazards 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28, respectively, all of which require some action tending to retard the progress of any mouse which happens to stop on one of these hazards. Track 12 is divided into a large number of small areas or spaces which define the distances which the mice will go in response to the numbers turned up when the die is thrown. These latter spaces are of varied colors, and some particular color, which might be, for example, red, is repeated from time to time in these spaces.

Other spaces require actions which will expedite the progress of the mice, as 30, which requires a short-cut, 32, which permits the game piece to move ahead nine (9) spaces, and 34, which permits the mouse to jump to the next space.

Another space is the cheese station 36, which is also the space where the cage or trap becomes effective. Still another station, 38, directs the mouse to go directly to the cheese. Another station, 40, is captioned Turn Crank, which will be explained presently and, under certain conditions, gives the player whose mouse stops thereon the privilege of starting the train of events which culminates in catching the mouse of some other player.

The game may be played by two or more persons, and the object of it is generally for one of the players to catch the mice of the others. Variations in the mode of play are possible and contemplated, it being noted that the end of track 12 remote from the starting point forms a loop 41, and a player reaching this point continues to go around the loop in accordance with the throw of the die, taking his chances on being caught in the trap, While attempting to ytrap the other mice.

In addition to the special stations heretofore described, the stations along track 12 are of various colors, and a player Whose mouse lands on some particular color, for example, one of the aforementioned red spaces, is entitled to take part of the apparatus which eventually catches the mice, and assemble it, or install it on board 10. This apparatus will now be described in the order in which it might be assembled.

A crank 42 is mounted on shaft 44 (see also FIGURES 2 and 3) journalled in a gear support or stand 46, the latter being fixed to a base 48 forming a part of a subassembly generally designated as 50, and which might be termed a trip unit. This is the first of a series of such units which together form the action apparatus hereinbefore referred to. Shaft 44 carries a gear 52 which meshes with another gear 54, gear 52 being preferably supported in a vertical plane while gear 54 is arranged in a horizontal plane. Gear 54 has a finger 56 projecting appreciably beyond the margins thereof, in position to engage one end of a lever 58 fulcrumed on a pin 60, carried on above mentioned sub-assembly 50. The other end 61 of lever 53, beyond pin 50 has a simulated stop sign 62 fixed thereon, and a spring 64 urges lever 58 in a clockwise direction as seen from above, against a stop 66 fixed on base 48. Base 48 also carries a light pole 68 which has a simulated light 70 and a swingable pendant arm 72, supported on a bracket 74. Arm 72 has at its lower extremity a simulated shoe or foot 76.

As will be apparent if crank 42 is turned gears 52 and 54 will be rotated finger 56 will engage lever 58 and swing it in a counterclockwise direction approximately into the position shown in FIGURE 3 stretching spring 64. Finger 56 will promptly pass beyond, and release, lever 58, which will snap back in a clockwise direction under the urging of spring 64 until arrested by stop 66. During this movement, stop sign 62 is impelled forcibly against shoe 76, causing it to swing violently with arm 72.

Trip assembly or unit 50 may be assembled before the start of the game, and when one of the players has his game piece stop on the proper colored station, he has the privilege of installing the unit in place on the game board. To make the game more complicated, this sub-assembly might be put together piece-by-piece by the players as the game progresses, each player having the right to apply one part whenever his mouse lands on a properly colored space. To insure that the sub-assembly will remain in the proper place, and be stable, dowel pins or the like 78 t into suitable holes in board 10.

The next action unit is a stairway generally designated as 80, best shown in FIGURE 4, and which has an upper landing 82, on which is pivotally supported by brackets 84 ,a bucket 86. Bucket 86 contains a heavy metal yball 88, the whole being so located that it will be hit or kicked by shoe 76, and so delicately balanced that it will be upset when kicked, so as to release the ball onto landing 82. Landing 82 is sloped gently forwardly and has a lip or rim 90 and a barrier 92 to guide the ball to fall on one end of a step 94. Step 94 is slightly inclined forwardly, downwardly and to the right as seen in FIGURE 4, and has a lip 96 and a barrier 98 so that ball 88, dropping onto step 94, will roll to the opposite end, and then drop to the next step 100. Step 100 has a lip 102 and a barrier 104, and is inclined slightly forwardly, downwardly and to the left, and other steps 106, 108, 110 and 112 are arranged in sequence and are similar, so that ball 88, once released, will gravitate from step to step until it reaches the bottom of the stairway, rolling substantially the length of each step each time. Step 112 has a lip 114 and a barrier 116 which directs the ball 88 into a rain gutter 118. This sub-assembly for convenience might be termed a rolling unit. Dowel pins and mounting members 12() t into suitable openings in board 10 and locate stairway unit 80 in its correct position on board 10.

Rain gutter 118 leads, preferably in a somewhat tortuous path to a cut-away portion 122 (see also FIGURE of a fixture 124, having a fence 126 of proportions suitable to stop ball 88 when it reaches portion 122. Pins 127, engageable in suitable openings in board 10, locate xture 124.

Fixture 124 has an upstanding structure 128 simulating an installation of plumbing or piping, which carries a tray-like support 130 holding a simulated bowling ball 132 of substantial weight, and preferably substantially directly over cut-away portion 122. Tray 138 slopes gently downward toward a hole 134 of a size to permit ball 132 to pass through, and ball 132 actually rests partly on or over a simulated hand 136 disposed immediately below tray 130 in such a manner that an upward thrust of hand 136 will release the ball and start it rolling toward opening 134. Hand 136 has a stem or push rod 138, slidablein a plurality of simulated hands 140 supported on plumbing installation 128, and the lower end of rod 138 encroaches on the space above cut-away portion 122 so as to be hit and raised by aforementioned ball S8 as the latter reaches and is stopped by fence 126.

A counterbalancing spring 142 acts upwardly against hand 136 so as to take part of the weight thereof and of ball 132, and insure that the force developed by ball 88 hitting rod 138 will be suicient to dislodge ball 132. Spring 142 reacts against one of the aforementioned hands 140.

Beneath hole 134 piping 128 supports a simulated bath tub 144 of a size such that ball 132 will engage the sides thereof when it drops through opening 134, rolling to the left in FIGURE 5 by reason of the tapered configuration of the tub and the upwardly Haring shape of the sides thereof. Tub 144 has a hole 146 at its larger end through 4 which ball 132 will drop when it has rolled far enough to the left, as seen in FIGURE 5.

Falling through hole 146, ball 132 will hit the end 148 of a diving board fulcrumed on a pivot 150 supported on -lixture 124, the board being generally designated as 152. The -gure of a diver, 154, Iis placed on the other end of board 152, and is preferably of substantial weight and provided with a base plate 156 so as to stand securely on the board until such time as ball 132 hits end 148 thereof. At that time, diver 154 is projected into the air and lands in a wash tub 158 placed in the range of its trajectory. Fixture 124 and its associated parts as an assembly may be termed a ball drop unit.

Wash tub 158 rests on a tilting platform 160 having downwardly directed supports 162 on which it rests so as to tilt easily under the weight of diver 154. Platform has a mast or upright 164 of substantial height, including `an offset portion 166 which places the major portion of the m-ast generally over abovement-ioned cheese station 36. In FIGURE 6, a simulated piece of cheese is indicated at 168, and .a simulated mouse about to be caught at 170. Mast 164 has an upper shoulder 172 from which extends a pin 174, so that a cage l176 having an upper opening 178 may be precariously engaged with shoulder 172, to become disengaged upon any substantial disturbance of mast 164, as when diver 154 lands in the wash tub 158. Cage 176 will then slide down mast 164 and enclose cheese 168 and catch mouse 170. To add to the suspense and interest, mast 164 may be :formed with staggered projections or teeth 180 which are sufficiently limited in their extension from mast 164 to permit the dropping of cage 176, but are large enough to cause a slight oscillating movement of cage 176 as it slides down the mast. This will slow down the falling movement of cage 176 markedly, and add to the amusement. The wash tub and cage assembly as a whole may be termed a trap unit.

It is to be noted that, with so many actions taking place, each dependent on the one before, there is a good chance that one of them may fail from time to time, and which contingency might be made one of the hazards of the game.

In playing the game the players are each assigned a mouse, and they take turns throwing a single die to determine the number of stations or divisions that each shall move `along track 12. The rst player whose mouse lands on a red division is entitled to take Ione of the units of the ,action mechanism and install it in place on board `10. Other players do likewise when their mice land on red divisions. The players follow the special instructions on the stations which they reach, and presumably all the apparatus will be in place when any mouse gets to cheese station 36. If while there, some yother players mouse lands on station 40; such other player has the privilege of turning the crank, with the dire results hereinbefore described. If a player lands on station 40, and no mouse is on cheese station 36, the player does not have the right to turn the crank, and that particular opportunity is lost.

As previously stated, the game can be ended in various ways, as for example when the irst mouse is caught, when the last mouse has reached station 40, or by continuing the play until all mice except one have been caught and removed `from the board. The different systems lend themselves well to players of different degrees of accomplishment, so that the game can be made interesting to players of rather widely differing age groups.

It should be apparent that variations in the details of a game such as that disclosed might be devised, with'- out departing from the principles of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising a `game board including a track defining a plurality of stations and having, a starting point,

a plurality of game pieces for movement along said track from station to Vstation in accordance with numbers selected by lot, a cage, a support for said cage adapted to maintain said cage and an elevated position above a particular one of said stations, and means adapted to be tripped and to initiate and perform a series of actions terminating in the dropping of said cage to cause said cage to enclose any game piece which may be on said particular station.

2. A game comprising a game board including a peripheral track defining a plurality of differently colored stations including a cheese station and having a starting point, a plurality of mouse simulating game pieces for movement along said track from station to station in accordance with numbers selected by lot, a cage, a support for said cage adapted to maintain said cage at an elevated position above said cheese station, and action means adapted to be tripped and to initiate and perform a series of actions terminating in the dropping `of said cage to cause said cage to enclose and catch any mouse simulating game piece which may be on said cheese station.

3. A game comprising a game board including a peripheral track defining a plurality of differently colored stations including a cheese station, and said track having a starting point, a plurality of mouse simulating game pieces for movement along said track from station to station in accordance with numbers selected by lot, a crank supported for rotation above said board, a pair of intermeshing gears driven by said crank, a finger on one of said gears, a spring biased lever having one end swingable in the path of said linger, a fulcrum supporting said lever and carried on said game board, a stop sign simulation fixed beyond said fulcrurn at the end of said lever remote from the tirst mentioned end thereof, a stairway ixed on said game board, a bucket tiltably supported .at the top of the stairway, a lamp post adjacent said stair-way and fixed on said game board, a simulated shoe suspended ifrom said lamp post in the path of said stop sign simulation when said finger is rotated to dellect .and release said lever, said shoe being guided in a path to kick said bucket when impelled by movement of said stop sign, a ball of substantial weight in said bucket in position to be released by movement of said bucket when kicked by said shoe, to roll down said stairway, a simulated rain gutter in position to receive said ball and guide it away from said stairway, an

upwardly directed simulated plumbing installation adjacent the terminus of said rain gutter, a simulated bowling ball holding tray-like element supported at the top of said plumbing installation, and providing a hole through which said bowling ball can drop, a simulated bowling ball in said tray element, an upwardly movable simulated hand vertically movably mounted in said tray beneath said bowling ball, a push r-od extending downwardly and guided for sliding movement relative to said plumbing installation, said push rod extending into the path of the first mentioned ball at the terminus of said rain gutter whereby to be raised lby contact with said rst mentioned ball to start said bowling ball toward the ho-le in said tray, a simulated bath tub supported on said plumbing installation in position to receive said bowling ball as it drops through the hole in said tray, said bath tub having a hole through which said bowling ball can drop, a diving board pivotally supported at its mid-portion on said game board with one end beneath the hole in said Ibath tub, a diving ligure on the other end of said diving board, a tiltable platform supported on said game board adjacent said diving ligure, a wash tub on one end of said tiltable platform in the path of said diving iigure as it is impelled by dropping of the bowling ball on the other end of said diving board, an upwardly directed cage support iixed on the other end off said tiltable platform, a cage supported on said cage support over said cheese station, and said cage being so carried on said support that disturbance of said support will cause said cage to become dislodged and to drop and enclose and catch any simulated mouse which may be on said cheese station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,284,513 ll/ 1918 West 2713- 2,620,192 12/ 1952 Housely 273--134 2,964,323 12/ 1960 Moses 273-134 3,012,364 12/ 19611 Johnson 46-43 3,092,928 6/1963 Geiser 46-43 FOREIGN PATENTS 611,043 10/ 1948 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

E. ZACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GAME COIMPRISING A GAME BOARD INCLUDING A TRACK DEFINING A PLURALITY OF STATIONS AND HAVING A STARTLING POINT, A PLURALITY OF GAME PIECES FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID TRACK FROM STATION TO STATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH NUMBERS SELECTED BY LOT, A CAGE, A SUPPORT FOR SAID CAGE ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID CAGE AT AN ELEVATED POSITION ABOVE A PARTICULAR ONE OF SAID STATIONS, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO BE TRIPPED AND TO THE DROPPING OF SAID CAGE TO CAUSE SAID CAGE TERMINATING IN THE DROPPING OF SAID CAGE TO CAUSE SAID CAGE TO ENCLOSE ANY GAME PIECE WHICH MAY BE ON SAID PARTICULAR STATION. 